One of our most precious rights is the right to vote

One of our greatest and most precious rights as U.S. citizens is the right to vote and to elect our federal, state and local representatives.

And one of my most important duties as Tennessee’s secretary of state is to encourage all eligible voters to legally exercise that right — by properly registering and voting during elections.

Unfortunately, there are still many Tennesseans who have not yet registered to vote — and many more who may have forgotten to keep their voter information up to date when they moved to a different home or relocated to a new town.

That’s why as your secretary of state and the current president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, I’ve joined with my colleagues from the 49 other states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories to proclaim September as National Voter Registration Month and Sept. 24 as National Voter Registration Day.

To stress the importance of voting here in Tennessee, we have also enlisted the help and support of ordinary citizens and celebrities to join us in spreading the word on social media — Twitter, Facebook and Instagram — and to build greater awareness about the importance of voting in every corner of our state.

Music stars, athletes, radio and TV personalities are among the many who have joined with our elected officials and local election staff members to help make sure all Tennesseans understand the importance of properly registering to vote.

We welcome and encourage your participation too! Simply visit GoVoteTN.com, print out a sign and take your picture, then post it on social media for your friends and family to see — using our #GoVoteTN hashtag.

The right to vote is one of our most prized rights as Americans — and as Tennesseans. It should never be taken for granted.

Our non-partisan #GoVoteTN campaign is designed to encourage all eligible citizens to register to vote if they are not registered. Or if already registered, visit GoVoteTN.com to quickly verify or update their voter registration information.

Please help us by “volunteering” a few minutes of your time to help spread the word about the importance of voting — and to join us in celebrating National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 24.

Visit GoVoteTN.com for complete information and contact information to reach a local election office near you.

And join the movement online — on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — to help us celebrate National Voter Registration Month — and to encourage your friends and family to always remember to #GoVoteTN.

Tre Hargett is the secretary of state of Tennessee, and he is the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

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